Trump Approval Sinks to 33%, Democrats Gain Midterm Edge

Thirty-three percent of U.S. adults approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, while 66 percent disapprove. That’s the lowest approval rating of his presidency, arriving just two weeks before Election Day.

The strength of the opposition may matter even more than the headline number. Fifty-two percent of Americans say they disapprove strongly, suggesting the discontent isn’t casual or soft. Voters who feel that strongly tend to show up.

A Sour Mood Over Rising Prices

The poll points to inflationary pressures as a key driver of what it calls an acrid mood among voters. For households stretching paychecks across rent, groceries and everything else that has gotten more expensive, the economy isn’t an abstraction. It’s the monthly math at the kitchen table.

The findings put Republicans in a difficult spot. Trump’s approval has hit a new low, and the party faces what the poll describes as a bleak political outlook heading into the campaign’s final stretch.

Democrats Gain Ground in the Race for Congress

Support for Democrats in the contest for control of Congress is rising, the poll found. The movement gives the party a clear edge as the midterms approach, according to the Post’s reporting on the survey.

That shift matters beyond party scorekeeping. Congress holds the power of the purse, the authority to conduct oversight, and the responsibility to check the executive branch. Who controls the House and Senate determines whether the administration’s decisions face real scrutiny or sail through unchallenged. Midterm elections are one of the few moments when voters can directly recalibrate that balance.

What the Numbers Show, and What They Don’t

The poll surveyed U.S. adults, a broader group than likely voters, and the reporting available here doesn’t break down results by region, income or demographic group. It also doesn’t detail how Republican leaders are responding to the numbers or which specific policies voters want addressed. Those gaps matter as more data and reaction emerge.

The available findings do establish a clear picture of sentiment: two-thirds of the country disapprove of the president, a majority of Americans disapprove strongly, and momentum in congressional races is tilting toward Democrats.

The next two weeks will test whether that mood translates into turnout. Polls capture a moment. Elections are decided by who actually votes.

Why This Matters:

A 33 percent approval rating is more than a bad week for one politician. It reflects a public squeezed by rising costs and signaling, in unusually strong terms, that it wants a different direction. When 52 percent of Americans disapprove strongly, that shows how deeply economic anxiety has set in. The midterms give voters a way to turn that frustration into accountability. If Democrats win control of Congress, power in Washington shifts, along with the capacity to scrutinize executive decisions and shape policy on the cost-of-living pressures voters say weigh on them. Democratic institutions work best when voters can render judgment, and this election will deliver one.